Addictions issues on the slate at forum
Ramsay suggests old hospital could hold treatment centre; Erasmus says facility necessary; Fullerton says community-based approach best
Evan Kiyoshi French
Northern News Services
Friday, November 6, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Around 40 people attended a Yellowknife MLA candidates forum at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre Wednesday, organized by Dene Nahjo, a social justice group that promotes indigenous leadership.
With 22 candidates running for city-based seats including Tu Nedhe - which includes Dettah and Ndilo and stretches to Saskatchewan and Nunavut - the hopefuls were split into two groups, each attending one of two three-hour debates on consecutive nights.
On Wednesday the field featured Frame Lake candidates Jan Fullerton, Kevin O'Reilly, Roy Erasmus and David Wasylciw; Great Slave hopefuls including incumbent Glen Abernethy and his challenger Chris Clarke; Kam Lake's candidates were Kieron Testart and incumbent David Ramsay, while the Range Lake seat was contested by incumbent Daryl Dolynny and Carolyn Cochrane.
Candidates attending Wednesday's forum agreed more needs to be done to address substance abuse and addictions.
Erasmus said a facility dedicated to addiction treatment needs to be built in the city, but first-time political candidate Jan Fullerton said she doubts a facility in the city would produce better results than those outside of the territory, which residents already visit. She said the track record for recovering addicts in Yellowknife is "abysmal."
"I would like us to look at programs that are more community-based and more holistic and are more inclusive of families," she said.
Ramsay, incumbent for Kam Lake, said Stanton Territorial Hospital - which will be empty one the new hospital is built - could be the site of a future treatment centre.
On Thursday, Ramsay said a deal with the contractor building the new hospital ensures that the old building will be re-purposed as some kind of health facility.
"A lot of folks think we don't need the bricks and mortar but with the construction of a new hospital we're all of a sudden going to have a building that could house a mental health and addictions facility," he said. "And we're always looking at ways to diversify the economy. If we did this right we could attract clients from all around Western Canada to a facility in Yellowknife."
Erasmus and Testart were in league supporting a moratorium on fracking - pending further research on its impact on ground water.
"Fracking is a huge user of freshwater - water we can't get back," said Testart.
Disagreement was rare throughout the three-hour session but the Kam Lake candidates locked horns over the possibility of bringing a university to the city.
Ramsay said he likes the idea, since it would mean more funding from Ottawa for research. But Testart said he doubts the territory can afford to get into the university game.
The second session at the friendship centre - featuring candidates for Tu Nedhe, Yellowknife North, Yellowknife South and Yellowknife Centre - was scheduled for last night.
